Telegraph lines

[P3D]

Reposting from Swamphen:

Decided to plot out the undersea cables owned by Reis Brandenburg Telegraf und Telefon (better known as BT&T  ;D ). The lines in the Rift Valley don't show well but they're there...
One note, I realised as I was working on it that the "maritime boundary" between DKB and NS claimed island groups didn't reflect Nauru (which is Brandenburgian), so I fixed that.
Note 'overseas connections': Dar-es-Salaam to Aden, Dar-es-Salaam to Mozambique, Neue Heligoland to Firanj, Lae to Catanduanes, Neue Königsburg to Sydney, and Nauru to Phoenix (as well as the line from the Fatherland to Ost Afrika passing through Jakarta).

(Is there a cost to lay new cable? Connections are needed to the South American territories.)

Some notes:
Undersea cables do not branch on the Ocean floor.
They are expensive. They weight 1 ton per nautical mile, and 2/3 of that is copper. 1000nm thus weighs ~1000t.
A good article on the cost of a transpacific cable:
http://atlantic-cable.com/Article/1900Philippines/index.htm
Here we have $12-$25million cost for a 9000nm route, depending on difficulties. That is the equivalent of three $4million predreadnoughts (displacement ~45000t). Annual costs were ~$500k-$1m, not negligible at all.
This would be somewhere between around $30-50 in Navalism money, depending on conversion factors. I'd take the lower figures. Neglecting upkeep, we have a a cost of say $4 for 1000nm of (duplicate) undersea telegraph cable. Paid from civilian budget.

I think DKB does not have connection from Ostafrika to Aden - Aden got into Austrian hands only recently. Also, I think the line from DKB to Tahiti(??) does not exists, it is one expensive and long stretch. It would cost at least as much as a battleship. Also, the Goa connection is IMO from the islands - for cost saving measures.

Also, we must think again about cutting telegraph lines. Is it possible to cut it by dragging an anchor, or you'd have to get the island telegraph stations and cut it there?

BTW, do we need Maoria at all? I think we can delete it from the map.

[Korpen]

Also, we must think again about cutting telegraph lines. Is it possible to cut it by dragging an anchor, or you'd have to get the island telegraph stations and cut it there?

Well, yes, if the water is no too deep.
My only source for is reading about the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, were the US Crusiers raised and cut the wire from Manilla.

[P3D]

My only source for is reading about the Battle of Manila Bay in 1898, were the US Crusiers raised and cut the wire from Manilla.

Hm... That means raise the wire first (if you know where it is)...Won;t work anywhere but in shallow seas.

[swamphen]

Undersea cables do not branch on the Ocean floor.

True - in cases where it appears they do here, it's parrarel cables until the 'split'.

Neglecting upkeep,

Should probably come from the company coffers, i.e. not covered in the budget, IMHO.

we have a a cost of say $4 for 1000nm of (duplicate) undersea telegraph cable. Paid from civilian budget.

Bueno with moi.

I think DKB does not have connection from Ostafrika to Aden - Aden got into Austrian hands only recently.

True; the line to Catanduanes would have a higher priority. I'll change the Aden route to a "projected" line.

Also, I think the line from DKB to Tahiti(??) does not exists, it is one expensive and long stretch. It would cost at least as much as a battleship.

That's Brandenburg-Easter Island via Pitcairn Island. Probably right, I'll remove that one past @ Tahiti.

Also, the Goa connection is IMO from the islands - for cost saving measures.

Well I was thinking that since Goa's military operations are under the command of the Afrikaflotte a direct line to Dar-es-Salaam would make sense. But routing through Heligoland would save Kaisermarks so we can probably say that the KM wanted the direct line but the Reich Treasury said no, follow the exsisting line as much as possible.

Also, we must think again about cutting telegraph lines. Is it possible to cut it by dragging an anchor, or you'd have to get the island telegraph stations and cut it there?

I would say that an anchor probably wouldn't be enough - the chain would break first. Say that a station has to be captured, or that where the cables run through shallow water you could send stupidbrave men down to plant explosives.

BTW, do we need Maoria at all? I think we can delete it from the map.

Borys' Habsburgs are using Maoris as enforcers, I believe.  ;D

[Desertfox]

Hmm I'll start working out the lines for NS, since NS more than anyone is heavily dependant on them.

Price seems right.

Maoria = Potential Player Nation. Since its not affecting anyone and provides Story Line material I would say leave it.

[P3D]

We still have a zillion potential semihistorical nations. Italy, Peru, Argentina, India, Mughal, Mesoamerica, Persia and Bavaria, to name them.

[Borys]

Ahoj!
1 - Maoria - ahem - please leave it alone. I have to recruit the Foreign Legion somewhere ...
2 - I remember (I hope correctly) from FFO that the cable in Singapore was cut somewhere near the sea entry point; such a cable is probably asthick as a thigh, and anchors won't break it - but in shallow water it could be dragged up and sawed; anybidy have contact with the FFO guys?
3 - I thought the bunch of large islands in the middle of the Pacific was the New Swiss New Homeland?

Borys

[swamphen]

I've revised my map taking into account P3D's suggestions. The previous Pacific cable was cut off where I guesstimated Samoa to be.

Note the addition of dashed lines, which are "desired/projected future expansion" of BT&T's network, pending availability of funding and political agreements.

If anybody wishes, I can whip up maps for other countries...

[Desertfox]

Swampy can you do a blank one for New Switzerland? I can fill in the rest.

BTW we (and Maddox) also have to figure out how the Pacific islands are split up.

[The Rock Doctor]

I'd hazard a guess that a line runs from Cartagena up to Havana via Jamaica.  It might continue up to the CSA, so that North and South America can be linked without going through Mesoamerica.

A branch line might run from Havana to Puerto Rico, as a leftover of Spanish imperial work.

Another line may run from eastern GC up the Windward Islands, and possibly beyond.

I'm doubtful that there would be other strictly GC lines, but I'm willing to entertain hosting portions of other lines passing through the Caribbean, Galapagos, or the mainland.

[P3D]

My first guess about the obvious telegraph linen. Some politically not too obvious choice was left out. E.g. where do Netherlands and Spain have a direct connection to their overseas territory - if they have any. Very long uninterrupted lines are avoided. France still has a fairly global network.



The BT&T-Batavia line I'd guess is jointly operated by Netherlands

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Comments:
IMO the South Indian Ocean lines (to the south the the Durban-Chagos-Firanj line) should not exist. No economic sense behind them.
Maybe only one - French line from south Madagascar to the island due south of Chagos, and then to Firanj.

French line to Brasil - it would not run to Belem, which is a backwater, but to Bahia - the part of Brasil sticking most into the Atlantic Ocean. It also is the shourtest route, and I do not see any possible gains from the detour to the mouth of th Amazon.

Borys

[The Rock Doctor]

I'd agree that lines would ideally follow straight, least-distance routes.  The French line from France to northern Africa ought to go through the Med for that reason.

[swamphen]

Since when did the French do things by the logical route?  :P ;D

Anyway, here's my take on things, based on P3D's map and tweaked, fiddled and expanded - considerably expanded...

It occured to me that ex-ACM lines would likely be plentious; now operated, I'm guessing, by the Normans, Spanish, Austrians, French, Dutch, and Brandenburgers (the line connecting the coaling station at Easter Island to Valpariso).

Navalism Underwater Telegraph Cable Network, 1907?


Many things are hard to see at this scale, unfortunatly. Here's a version scaled up by 400% for clarity:
http://www.swamphen.net/graphics/maps/nav-cbl3.gif

[Desertfox]

For NS the Alaskan link should pass by Hawaii, and there should be a link to Palau, which then branches out North to Saipanand South to Australia. Oh and a connection to Tasmania.

For projected I should lay a line to New Zion and connect Siam and Tortugas.